As students protest in National law varsities, Justice Bhuyan pushes for appointment of SC Judges from legal academia

Lamenting that no “distinguished jurist” had been appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in the last 76 years, Supreme Court Judge Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday favoured the elevation of reputed legal scholars, saying it would add diversity and talent to the Bench.

Article 124(3)(c) of the Constitution of India states, “A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court unless he is a citizen of India and is, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist.”

Speaking at the 13th convocation of the National Law University, Delhi, for the LL.M. programmes, Justice Bhuyan said, “No jurist has been appointed so far to the Supreme Court, though the Constitution has completed more than 76 years. It is regrettable that this provision has remained one of our Constitution’s unused mandates.”